Crews from Oxford and Cambridge university boat clubs stepped out on uniquely printed walkways this year as they made their way from the boathouse to the Thames slipway for the BNY Mellon Boat Race. The unmissable branding opportunity was made possible thanks to a development in floor applied graphics by Applied Media, and viewed around the world by millions of spectators.

The large format graphic panels were printed using a digital flat-bed with flexible UV cure inks which proved ideal for the polymeric base media. The printed graphics were then protected with a laminate.

The remit was for a highly durable floor applied graphic to cope with a wet environment. The system had to be inherently safe and slip resistant for the crews and spectators to walk over and withstand some vehicular traffic. It also had to be installed quickly within a fixed timetable, stable in situ, easy to remove and be reusable.

The stringent criteria, in common with many branded sports environments, were driven by a limited window in which to apply the graphics, and the demands of heavy pedestrian footfall. In this instance the graphics also had to cope with the rigours of a tidal river and public highway environment.

The solution from Applied Media was to adapt their proven surface graphics system to provide two branded walkways, each approximately four metres wide and sixteen metres long. The panels boldly displayed the name of BNY Mellon, the global financial services provider.

Applied Media’s graphic panels have a slip resistant surface and the ability to be lifted and changed or easily removed without damage to the underlying surface. Additionally the heavy duty product is fully cleanable and highly durable even to withstanding vehicular traffic. Offering a wide range of applications the graphic system is easily installed indoors or out on all sound surfaces.

Business development director for Applied Media, Larry Walsh, explains, “Our parent company working with TfL delivered the 120 kilometres of temporary games lanes for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics last summer. The base technology and experience gained in that type of environment has been the inspiration behind the overall development of this branding system”.

“The graphics are usually applied internally or externally directly to the substrate and easily removed after use. In this instance though the graphics were adhered to a rubber backing enabling them to be rolled out very quickly and later cleaned and rolled up to be used again.”

Larry Walsh concludes, “With Applied Media, also a national media owner of outdoor space, there are now more exciting locations for horizontal branding and advertising. This provides brand owners and sponsors with new unmissable opportunities to engage with their target audience.”

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Large Format Review provides daily breaking news on digital printer technology as used for commercial production of print for wide-format sign and display, dye-sublimation textile and fabric printing, packaging and industrial applications. We also cover 3D print and additive manufacturing.